Another World
by tigerlily1993
Summary: What if the X-Men were set in old New England times 1700's. Well in this world were the Brotherhood are thief's and some of the X-Men are kings and queens, who knows what could happen. Fallow the story of the immortal princess Aprill and a thief lord Fred
1. Chapter 1: Immortal Castle

Deep in the heart of the woodlands of northern Europe, stood the mighty white, grey castle of the immortal family, with just as mighty mountains a silhouette on the horizon. The castle it's self was ancient, thick dark green vines climbed the sides of the brick walls. Then the brick it's self that was once pure white in the first days of completion, was now tarnished with grey. A gothic castle and one of the oldest that was still standing in Europe, then the large oak front doors opened into the main hall. Hundreds of servants, cooks and maids ran round the halls going about their business. Past the dining hall, past the libraries, the many guest rooms and the room of the king and queen of the castle, is where you find the room of the princess. The wall of the room lined with tall, mighty bookshelf's and in the center of the room was large queen sized bed. The covers and pillows the color of mint and at this late of an hour, the princess was not laying in this bed. Oh no, her grace was standing out on the balcony, overseeing the clearing that was down bellow. Now the princess was fair and beautiful, waist long dark brown hair that was in a thick brad tonight. With large green-blue eyes that smoldered into the hearts of men, and prefect olive skin. Soft red lips that were curved in a frown tonight and wearing a red flowing nightgown, that fit the curves of her body.

As the princess looks up at the full moon, she is unaware of the man that lurked in the shadows of the woods bellow. This man was no prince that the young maiden would wait for, but a man that she could love was unsurten. He was a man of tall built and large size, much larger than any other man alive. About five feet and ten inches, this was five inches taller than the maiden on the balcony, and has deep brown eyes. Even if of larger weight, he still had a strong jaw in his round face and strong, massive hands. This man in simple leather cloths looked up at the princess while she looked up at the moon and sighed.

"Master," A small voice came from beside the giant man. "This is not a good idea me lord."

The one called master smirked. "Why thief Todd, if I didn't know any better," He clicked his tongue. "You are getting cold feet."

The small timid thief shivered. "But my lord, it's not wise to spy on the princess like this."

"Maybe," Master chuckled. "But I've done this before timid one."

Thief Todd moaned softly as his master slowly walked into the light of the moon. "I hope you know what you're doing, Lord Dukes."

As one of the lords of the thief's guild, Fredrick Dukes stepped into the moons light; the princess on the balcony was just starting to escape her mind. When the princess smelled the thick scent of the thief, she snarled. "Who dares come on my land?"

Lord Dukes smiled up at her. "Good evening to you," He gave a deep bow. "Princess Aprill."

Aprill Lyn Fisk, princess and air to the immortal throne, scowled down at the thief. "What do you think you are going on this land thief?"

"To see the sights your majesty," Fredrick grinned. "And from here, it's a beautiful sight indeed."

She scuffed. "Keep this up thief, and I just would have to call the guards on you."

"Ahh," The lord smiled widely. "But I've done this once to two before, why now call the guards on me."

Princess laughed. "Because now you are on my nerves, peasant theif." With a flip of her thickly braided hair, she turned and walked to the door to her room.

"Then what about the other times your grace," Fredrick called. "It looked as if you enjoyed my company."

Up on the balcony, princess Aprill stopped in the door frame and glanced up at the moon. Somewhere, deep down in the depths of her immortal heart, she found the lord thief charming. That he seemed like the perfect match for her, but then she felt the ring on her finger like a ten tune weight. Even if deep down, Fredrick was who she wanted, law clearly stated that she must marry a prince and sadly a prince has come to take her hand. So above the feelings for the lord thief was the pounding blood of royalty. Fallowing the ancient laws was in her blood and courting with thieves wasn't. Aprill turned back around and looked back down to where the lord was standing. "That was then," The princess replied. "And this is now thief, now leave this land and never come back."

"Never say never your grace," The thief lord replied in turn. "You and I both know what is happening here."

"Yes," She held her chin high. "You leaving this land."

He chuckled. "No, I believe the word begins with and 'l'." Shoving a hand in his packet, he pulled a single flower. "For you my lady," The thief tossed the flower up and the princess grabbed it, even if she knew that she shouldn't have. "Pleasant dreams, wild lily." With one last bow, the thief lord stepped out of the moon's light and back into the trees. Up on the balcony, princess Aprill looked at the single flower that he gave to her. It was a large, wildly grown tigerlily, her grace's favorite. She looked up from the flower and saw that the lord was gone and with a heavy sigh , she turned in for the night.


	2. Chapter 2: Camp of Lord Dukes

Weeks passed as the young princess carried out her days normally. She not once saw the lord thief after that full mooned night and against her better judgment, she glanced out a window to see if he was there. Princess Aprill would even stay up late into the night, waiting on her balcony and see if he would show. But soon she stopped doing that, knowing that it was not princess like of her to be looking for a thief. So after a month of not seeing the lord, her grace let her future husband walk with her in the garden. His name was Prince Pietro Maximoff, the only son of the king to the north. This king wanted the immortal blood to be mixed with the purity of the Maximoff blood. And so, the tall, slim, blue eyed, silver haired young man was presented to the princess. Her grace to admit that the Prince was charming, handsome and very polite, as they walked, hand and hand throw the flower beds. Her grace was set in a long, bell dress, the color of the red rose and white trim.

"How are you on this fine day princess." The Prince asked her grace and he reached over to play with a lock of her long hair.

Aprill smiled in turn. "I am well my lord."

"You seem," Her lord started to say. "Distant today, something on your mind?"

She lifted her fan to hide her lips, not wanting him to see the frown that was starting to form. Her grace was still thinking of the mooned night, even if it was still against her judgment to do so. Then something flashed on the corner of her eye. Aprill's eyes lifted to look at the distant forest tree line. The Prince followed her eyes in wonder. "What are you looking at woman?"

Her grace was sure of what she saw, but she had to get closer to make sure. Princess gently pulled away from the Prince. "I must go," She bowed in front of him. "I will see you at dinner my lord." Without listening to the Prince, she ran off out of the garden and in the woods. Her eyes narrowed as the shadows of the trees came over her. Slowly getting used to the darker lighting, she slowly moved forward to see what she would find. She walked for a long time, knowing that there was something or someone in these woods. Why this was such a big deal to her grace was beyond her but she just had to learn what was running free in these woods.

"So you did see me," She turned to her right to see a tall, built man. His hair and eyes were the color of the earth, and didn't look like someone to mess with. The man was taller than her by five inches, with strong features in his face. Chiseled jaw and high cheeks bones, he wore leather hunting gear with a long sword on his belt. "I'm thief Lance, my lord is expecting you, your majesty." The thief pulled back some branches beside him to reveal a stone path that lead up a small hill. He started forward on the path. "This way your grace." Without waiting to see if she was following, the thief turned on to the path and started to walk away from her. Unsure about how to react to this, the princess decided to follow and see what was waiting for her. They walked past tall oaks, old willows, and even a few redwoods. After about twenty minutes, they came to a small clearing. The clearing was filled with small, leather tents with thiefs, both men and woman, walked freely.

"My lord," A short, young brown haired woman ran up to us and gripped her graces escort in a hug. Now she was just as tall as her grace with rich chocolate, shoulder length brown hair. She had large, watery blue eyes, soft skin and thin full lips. "You have returned."

The thief kissed the woman on the cheek. "I told you I would Catherine."

Catherine rolled her eyes. "I told you before Lance, call me Kitty." Then returning his kiss on the cheek, she walked away from him. "Dinner is ready when you are done with the mission."

"That's right," The thief scuffed and turned to look at the princess. "There is you, well don't just stand there, this way."

As her grace followed, she scuffed. "Is that anyway to talk to your future queen?"

Thief Lance laughed. "You're no queen to me."

After passing more and more tents with more and more people, her escort finally stopped at the largest tent in the whole clearing. "Wait here," He murmured without turning to face her and walked into the tent. So she stood there, tapping her foot on the ground and waited to see what would happen next. Then the certain opened and a new thief appeared. He was even shorter than the young maiden, but was mainly for the fact that is was sitting on the ground like a toad. His skin was a sickly pale color, pale yellow eyes and slimy ear length, green hair. The strange thief nodded. "My master is waiting for you, this way your majesty." The thief stepped aside so the Princess could walk inside the tent. Once inside the tent, she could tell that these were thief's that loved the hunt. The heads of bears, wild pigs, wolfs and big cats covered the walls. The pelts of these animals were laid on the floor of the tent. Tables made of redwood and oak lined the walls and were covered with fine jewelry and other riches. At the fair end of the tent stood a massive wooden chair, covered with more animal skins and huge deer antlers on the top. Other small teeth and claws covered legs and on the sides of the arms of this chair.

As the pale thief hoped over to sit beside the chair, thief Lance was kneeling before it. "The princess, unharmed as you wished my lord."

"Good Lance I knew that you wouldn't fail," A deep voice spoke and slowly the man stood from the chair, her grace snarled. "You may join your wife now Lance."

Thief Lance rose and bowed. "Thank you, lord Dukes." And slowly, the tall thief took his leave but stood at the entrance, watching what was happening.

"You again!" Her grace continued to snarl as she looked up into the face of the lord thief. "How dare you bring me here!"

The toad like thief trembled beside lord Dukes. "I told you this was a bad idea master."

"Relax, Todd," His master replied with a chuckle. "All is well,"

"Well," Her grace screeched. "Everything is not well, how dare you kidnap me."

"Kidnap you, your grace," The lord thief sounded puzzled. "Why I did no such thing, you came on your own will," When her grace hissed, Fredrick shook his head. "Didn't you wonder why Lance was so keen on leaving and not seeing if you were there?" She looked away from him, not willing to answer. "I told thief Lance to let you see him, tell you that his lord was waiting for you and just walk back to camp. He didn't force you here," A humors smile pulled the corners of his mouth. "I guess you could say you forced yourself here."

Aprill snorted and looked back into his brown eyes. "What do you want from me lord…Dukes is it?"

He bowed before her. "Fredrick Dukes, at your service your grace," He sat back in his chair. The lord thief held a fisted hand under his chin. "And I simply want your company Aprill."

"It's Princess Aprill to you Thief Lord Dukes," She corrected him firmly. "And I'm clearing in no dress suited to hick in the woods."

He bowed his head. "My apologize _Princess_ Aprill," Correcting himself and put a humors tone of voice when he said princess. "And as for your dressing, just say the word and I shall get the finest dresser in camp to make you cloths."

Her eyes narrowed. "This whole camp is your, you ran it."

Fredrick grinned. "Todd doesn't call me master and Lance doesn't call me lord for nothing your grace." He rose from the massive chair and walked so that he stood right in front of her. This was the first time that they were face to face, within three feet from each other, and the heat that rolled off the thief's body made the princess shiver. Her sharp scene of smell picked up on his watered pine scent. Dukes smiled to himself at the sight of her hesitation, he also saw the wild tigerlily that he gave to her in her thick hair. The lord thief knew that he was getting closer to his dream wish, bowing again, he gently took a lock of her hair. Her grace was not expecting the lord to do this and she should have stepped away but she couldn't move her feet. She closed her eyes as the thief raised her hair to his nose and took a deep breath. Fredrick licked his lower lip softly, she smelled so heavenly, of fresh water from the spring and wild lavender. He let go of her hair and bent in a deep bow, to the point that he was kneeling before the princess.

The princess opened her eyes and looked down at the lord in surprise. "Lord Dukes?"

Timid thief Todd hoped forward to stair at his master in disbelief. "Master what are you doing, you should not have kneel to anyone…"

"Silence Todd," Fredrick snapped and turned back to Aprill. "Say the word your grace, and my camp's will is at your command."

She looked from the timid thief, who was scowling at her, to the thief Lance, who was standing behind her and scowling at her also. Then she turned back to the lord of this camp, the first man to give her this much respect and willing call her by her name, Aprill. Beside herself she smiled, took a jeweled sword from the table and placed the point over his left shoulder. The timid thief gasped and thief Lance started forward as her grace spoke. "New cloths would be nice my lord."

Fredrick looked up at her as he rose and held the blade of the sword in his massive hand. "Then new cloths you shale get my lady."


	3. Chapter 3: The Making of the Dress

"Thank you lady Alvers," Her grace inclined to the young woman that she meet when she entered the camp. The sun was setting in the nearby sky, as it set it bleed reds and oranges into the sky. The young had been working on the simple leather dress for a few hours. She had insisted that she do it herself but her grace still helped all the same. Lord Alvers or rather Thief Lance, came into the room every now and then, just to scowl at her grace. It didn't take much for Aprill to see that the young man hated her, but why was not known.

At last, the dress that was made for deer hide, fit nicely on her. The skin was stained an odd, umber color and Catherine even had the time to add lace on the sleeves and him of the dress. "Most look your best for Lord Dukes miss," Catherine replied. "It was a pleasure."

"Tell me Lady Alvers," Her grace wondered. "What is he like, Lord Dukes, what does he want?"

"I think I can answer that," The two woman turned to the entrance to the small room. "Or maybe you should ask someone else."

Catherine bowed in respect. "Lord Dukes."

He smiled and nodded. "Lady Alvers," Then he turned his gaze on to her grace. Still smiling he walked up to her and then around her. When the lord thief stopped, he was standing right behind her grace. "Beautiful," He murmured. "The dress looks stunning on you, your majesty. "

She turned to face him and bowed. "Thank you, for the dress and compliant your lord sh…"

He raised a hand to silence her. "Please, you call me Fredrick."

Her grace raised an eyebrow. "Why, why give that to me when your people…"

"Because," Fredrick polity cut in. "You are not one of my people, but a well respected guest."

"That is our lord of you miss," Catherine interrupted. "Such a gentlemen." And with that, she bowed to the two of them and took her leave.

"Well," Her grace inquired when Catherine was gone. "She is a different young lady, isn't she."

Fredrick shrugged. "She's a good woman, and Lance is lucky to have her."

"Fredrick," Her grace asked, and as he sat down in a nearby chair, he grunted in saying that he was silencing. "Do you have a lady?"

"No," He answered evenly. "Tho many woman want, I do not have."

Her grace nodded. "I could imagine why, you're a powerful thief," She blushed slightly. "Any woman would want to be taken to your chamber."

"Any woman indeed," He murmured under his breath and rose from the chair. When he was standing, he looked in to the princess's eyes. "And what of you, your grace?" He reached up and touched her cheek. "Does that statement apply to you as well?"

"I…" She was open to say something, anything that might divert the conversation but someone cut her short.

"My lord and Lady," Aprill and Fredrick turned to see the timid thief Todd standing in the door way. "The walk way is clear for you to pace through."

Fredrick cleared his throat. "Yes, thank you Todd," He walked over to the door way and held a hand out to her grace. "Shale we Aprill?"

She was going to protest about him just using her name, but her heart was beating so fast that it wouldn't let her speak. Simply nodding, she took his massive hand walked with him out into the diming light. All the camps people were gathered around the Alves tent. Once the lord and princess were outside, they all got down on their knees and bowed before them. Her grace looked at Fredrick. "Why are they doing this?"

He smiled. "There not really doing it for me, they are doing it for you." She gaped at him as he continued. "For you are royalty, fare more important than me."

She shook her head. "No," Her grace took her hand from his and walked till she was standing in front of him. "You are just as important and deserve just as much praise." With a smile, she got down on her knees as well.

_She is the one,_ the thief lord thought, _the queen that this camp needs._ "Raise your lady ship," Fredrick told her and leaden her a hand to help her stand. "And let us go for our walk."


	4. Chapter 4: The Waited Moment Shattered

"I've never been on this side of the mountains before." The princess explained to the lord theft as they walked arm in arm down the wooded path. Mixtures of oaks, pines and red woods towered over them. The oaks and redwoods started to show faint colors of fall, while the pines let their dead needles fall to the earth below. The moon was full as it hung low in the stared sky. Her grace glanced up at Fredrick. "I've been quiet lucky to even leave the castle grounds."

His lord ship frowned down at her. "How sad, an adventures woman like yourself should be free to travel."

"Maybe for you rogues," Her grace stated. "But a lady of royalty like myself must stay with her people."

"So, why aren't you with them now your lady ship." Fredrick smiled.

She glared at him. "Because you kidnapped me," Then she smiled. "Or can you not recall what happened earlier today?"

He nudged her shoulder. "How could I forget, you looked pretty intimidating with that sword."

"Oh," Aprill looked into his brown eyes and raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"Quiet so wild lily, and speaking of," He stated and reached over to touch the wild tigerlily in her hair. "You've kept the gift I gave you and sport it in your hair, why is that?"

"Oh," Beside herself, she blushed and looked away from his eyes. "Well, I couldn't let such a beautiful flower be tossed away."

"I've heard tail that the princess of the white castle's favorite flower is the wild tigerlily," Fredrick said a matter of factually. "Is that not true, your majesty?"

The blush in her cheeks darkened. "Why yes, that is so."

He nodded. "As I hopped it would be so, but I didn't expect however," She knew that he was looking at the flower in her hair now. "Is to find it half braided in your hair."

"Well I…" But her grace really didn't know what to say and even if she did, she didn't want to say it. In the days before this one, she felt closer to the theft lord when she bore the flower in her hair. Agents everything that she was raised to believe in. Or the fact that a prince had claimed her as his wife to be, in her heart she didn't want the prince. She wanted…dare she think it, she wanted lord Dukes. She cleared her throat. "I loved your gift," She finally told him. "Loved it so that I felt it should go in my hair."

"Hum," Lord Dukes sighed in thought and glanced at her. "Is that so?"

She looked up into his eyes. "Do say that I lie, your lord ship?"

He smiled, releasing his grip on her arm and laced his arm around her waist. "Not at all Aprill, it just leaves me to ponder…"

"Ponder what Fredrick," Aprill asked, a little fearful now of what he would say.

He slowly pulled them to a stop and looked down at her again. "Leaves me to ponder…how fond you are of me." Her blush returned and when she was going to look away, he took her chin in his free hand and tilted her face up to face his own. "Your grace," He said softly in a new, deep tone of voice.

She shook her head. "No lord theft, you know it can't happen." Aprill finally fully saw that he was very fond of her and if she really dared to say the word 'love', that word would describe his feelings better. And when she thought about it, that same word would describe how she felt also. Her lips trembled. "You know we can't be together."

Fredrick smiled gently. "You forget wild lily, I break the 'law' all the time," His brow touched hers. "I've watched you on your balcony for a long time your grace, waiting for this moment."

She tried to get her breathing back to normal, but her heart was pounding and made it difficult to breathe. "I…I've waited up full nights at times to see if you would return."

Releasing her face, Lord Dukes wrapped his arms fully around her. "The statement you made earlier,"

"Fredrick," Her grace breathed.

"You wish to be the lady to be taken to my chamber, is that so?" He finished gently.

She blinked. "I wish…but I can not have, your lord ship."

He looked concerned then. "Why is that so?"

"I'm engaged," She replied. "To the prince of the black castle in the north…" Her voice broke then. "If it wasn't for him…I would try harder to stay dearest, truly I would if I could."

Fredrick hugged her close. "But do you even care for him, in any way at all?"

She shook her head. "Not in any way at all, but I have no choice. It's my birth right, I must be married to a prince, it's the law."

He snorted in disgust. "How I dread that horrid law, it's not fair," Lord Dukes placed a kiss on her cheek. "I love you."

She was over whelmed, so over whelmed that she was shacking. "And I love you."

Slowly Fredrick leaden forward and was barley touching her lips when… "My Lord and Lady!"

They looked behind them to see timid theft Todd hopping over to them. Lord Dukes growled. "I told you I didn't wish to be disturbed timid one."

Todd fell to his knees in front of Fredrick and her grace. "I know my Lord, but there are royal guards in the forest."

Fredrick tensed. "Impossible, they never come this deep in land."

"But its true Lord Dukes," The timid one shivered. "Lance's scout saw them on the fair east perimeter. And they are getting dangerously close to camp by the minuet."

"Who is leading the guards?" Her grace asked the thief.

Todd shook his head. "Never seen him before, it's not the king. But a young man with oddly silver hair…"

"The prince," Aprill groaned and looked back at Fredrick. "I was with him before I saw theft Lance in the woods today. He must have wondered what happened to me."

"And now he is looking for thee," Fredrick stated and pinched the bridge of his nose. Then he sighed in disappointment. "But you barley just arrived." His brow was pressed against hers again. "I don't wish for you to leave wild lily."

Her arms when around his neck. "I know, but I must…I don't want the prince to through you and your people in the dungeons."

He placed a simple kiss on her lips. "Let's get you in your royal dress and back to the prince."


	5. Chapter 5: A Painful Parting

"Oh, it's just horrid that you must leave." Lady Alvers complains as she finished tying the laces on her graces dress. "Are you sure that you wish not to take the one I made."

The princess looked at the younger woman sadly. "I want to Kitty, but I'm afraid it can't be done."

Once the royal dress was finally laced, Thief Lance stepped into the room. He glared at her. "Time to go."

With one last hug from Kitty, Thief Lance walked her through the camp and out to the east perimeter. The moon was higher in the sky now as it's silver light pooled over her grace and escort. After a few minutes, they made it to a small clearing and found Lord Dukes and timid Toad standing there, waiting.

Toad was the first to walk up and bowed before her. "I wish you luck your majesty."

"Thank you." She inclined with her head and also said her thanks to Lance as well, who didn't answer her. Slowly, the lastly walked over to the lord and commander of the camp behind her. At first, neither of them really knew what to say and just looked into one another's eyes. She cleared her throat. "Well, thank…"

At that moment he embraced her. "Stay safe wild lily."

She hugged him back, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Stay safe yourself thief."

Fredrick pulled away slightly. "I'll come to see you in five days time, by then things should have cooled down in the castle." He kissed her cheek. "Till then, you will be in my thoughts always."

She returned the kiss on his opposite cheek. "Like wise."

"They're coming," Toad said beside the princess. "It's time."

As she released her grip around his neck, Fredrick bent down and whispered in her ear. "Take care, my love." Then taking her off guard, he softly kissed her lips when he slowly pulled away.

She blinked at him a few time in shock but then smiled softly. "I will do my best my lord." And with one last look at the true man she loved and his people she walked into the woods near the prince.

"Thank the gods she's gone." Lance snarled beside his leader. "She was trouble from the start."

"But Lance," Timid Toad started.

"Silence, both of you," Lord Dukes hissed. "Is that any way to talk to your future queen?"

Thief Lance snorted. "Like I told the woman, she is no queen of mine."

Fredrick rounds on the young thief. "Hold your tongue, the princess is just what my people need."

Toad cuts in. "True my lord, very true. But what Lance is getting at is…well, is that fact that she's a princess. Thief law demands that we don't mess with royalty."

"That and when she leaves the castle," Lance grunts. "The king could send an army into these woods and kill our people."

"That wouldn't happen." Lord Dukes snaps.

Lance sneers at his leader. "I'm not going to let your damned heart get our people…my wife killed."

Fredrick was going to respond, punish Lance for his talk when a short scream split the air. Timid Toad shivered at his master's feet. "What on earth was that?" He whispered in a small, shaky voice and it was a wonder they could hear him at all.

But Lord Dukes knew that high picked woman's scream. "Aprill," He whispered and ran in the way that she just took moments before. Lance and timid Toad ran after their lord, daring not to yell after him. They came to the clearing that the Prince was seen coming into the territory of the camp. Sure enough, the young silver haired prince stood in the center of the clearing. His left glove hand was raised above his head and scowled down at…at…the princess. Lord Dukes looked at her on the ground, on her hands and knees; she held the right side of her beautiful face. Tears ran down her large eyes and Fredrick could already see her cheek swell.

"You filthy wench," The prince snarled. "How dare you leave the castle!"

She took a deep breath. "I just wished…"

"No!" He yelled at her. "I woman doesn't wish, doesn't think, does _nothing._ You stay in the castle like you're ordered and wait to please _me_, not _yourself." _ The prince finishes with a snarl.

Fredrick watched in the shadows in disbelief as she slowly rouse to her feet, took a step forward and kissed him on the lips. He gritted his teeth together, knowing that she didn't love the prince but it made him sick to see her kneel like this. When she pulled away, the prince smirked. "Much better, now," He snapped his fingers and the guards started to move back to the castle. "Time give their majesty's their daughter back men." Then he turned back to Aprill. "Let's go woman, and no more running away for you."

She bowed. "As you wish my lord."

His smile was somehow gentler now. "Much better indeed." Wrapping an arm around her waist, they started to walk away.

"Now there is a better reason to leave her alone." Lance whispered from beside his lord. When Fredrick glanced at the young thief, even he was pale. "If she keeps coming back, they will bet her."


End file.
